Cost to Own
United StatesSouth DakotaBuffalo CountyFort Thompson Population 1,134 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Fort Thompson, South Dakota

A $110,000 home here costs

$989

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $566. The real number is $423 higher every month — 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Fort Thompson median: $110,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $88,000 borrowed $566
Property tax0.781% — Buffalo County rate; no place-level figure published $72
Homeowners insuranceSouth Dakota averages $1,270/yr (NAIC), or 0.55% of home value $50
Electricity15.73¢/kWh — South Dakota residential average, EIA $141
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $92
Total monthly $989

Fort Thompson against Buffalo County and South Dakota

MeasureFort ThompsonBuffalo County
Median home value$110,300$108,000
Median property tax$843
Effective tax rate0.781%0.781%
Median gross rent$515$535
Population1,1341,757

The weather behind that power bill

Fort Thompson sits in Buffalo County, which averages a high of 87.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 20.37" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 894 cooling and 6,983 heating degree days, which is what sets the $141 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Buffalo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Buffalo County

No other places of this size are published in Buffalo County.

Full Buffalo County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Thompson?

A $110,000 home in Fort Thompson, South Dakota costs approximately $989 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $566 principal and interest, $72 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $209 utilities and $92 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Fort Thompson?

Place-level tax data is not published for Fort Thompson, so the Buffalo County rate of 0.781% applies here.

What is the average home price in Fort Thompson?

The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Thompson, South Dakota is $110,300, against $108,000 across Buffalo County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Thompson?

Median gross rent in Fort Thompson is $515 a month, against $989 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Thompson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for South Dakota.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology